Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Schumer, and Minority Leaders McConnell and  McCarthy:

We write to urge you to repeal the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq  (2002 Iraq AUMF) as soon as possible.

Bipartisan majorities in both chambers of Congress as well as the administration have made  clear their support for repealing this outdated AUMF. In June, after the White House issued a  Statement of Administration Policy supporting Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D-CA) bill to repeal the 2002  Iraq AUMF (H.R. 256), the House passed it by an overwhelming vote of 268-161, including 49  Republicans. Soon after, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced bipartisan  legislation from Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Todd Young (R-IN) to repeal the law by a vote  of 14-8. Their bill, S.J.Res. 10, currently has 46 cosponsors, including 10 Republicans, with  several others having indicated their support for the measure. With several legislative vehicles  to which the repeal measure has been or could be attached currently in conference, we urge  you to seize this moment and finalize a repeal of the 2002 Iraq AUMF.

The 2002 Iraq AUMF was originally passed to authorize the U.S. war against Saddam Hussein’s  regime in Iraq. Saddam Hussein was removed from power in 2003, the war against his regime  was declared over in 2011, and the administration has affirmed that it is not relying on the 2002  Iraq AUMF for any ongoing operations. However, leaving this authorization on the books has left  it susceptible to abuse. The most egregious example of such abuse was when former President  Trump relied on it to justify his lethal strike against Iranian general Qassem Soleimani,  recklessly risking a new war with Iran that Congress never approved.

Much work has been done to rescind this dangerous, outdated, and overstretched authorization,  both by activists across the country and by bipartisan majorities in both chambers of Congress.  We have an opportunity to secure an important, historic win that helps gets Congress back in  the business of upholding its constitutional mandate to decide when and where our nation goes  to war. But the work is not yet complete. We strongly urge you to send a measure repealing the  2002 Iraq AUMF to the president’s desk at the earliest opportunity.

Sincerely,

Alliance of Baptists

American Civil Liberties Union

American Friends Service Committee

Brennan Center for Justice

Church of the Brethren, Office of Peacebuilding and Policy

Coalition for Peace Action

Council for a Livable World

Democratic Socialists of America International Committee

Friends Committee on National Legislation

Human Rights First

Interfaith Network on Drone Warfare

National Religious Campaign Against Torture

Project on Government Oversight

R Street Institute

United Church of Christ, Justice and Local Church Ministries

Secure Families Initiative

VoteVets

Win Without War

Cc: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Chair Patrick Leahy, Vice Chair Richard Shelby, Chair  Rosa DeLauro, Ranking Member Kay Granger, Chair Jack Reed, Ranking Member Jim Inhofe,  Chair Adam Smith, Ranking Member Mike Rogers, Chair Bob Menendez, Ranking Member Jim  Risch, Chair Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member Michael McCaul

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